Process of manufacturing electrolytically-active finely-divided iron.



No. 727,118. Patented May 5, 1903. UNITED STATES PAT ENT OFFICE.

THOMAS A. EDISON, OF LLEWELLYN PARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO EDISON STORAGE BATTERY COMPANY, OF ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, A COR- PORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING ELECTROLYTlCALLY-ACTIVE FlNELY-DIVIDED IRON.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 727,118, dated May 5, 1903.

Application filed October 21, 1902. Serial No. 128,186. (No specimens.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.- to practically or wholly fill the retort, so as Be it known that I, THOMAS A. EDISON, a to expel the hydrogen gas therefrom. The citizen of the United States, residing at Llewintroduction of water into the retort, as exellyn Park, Orange, in the county of Essex plained, prevents oxidation of the iron to its and State of New Jersey, have invented a ceroriginal condition of oxidation and permits rain new and usefullmproved Process of Manthe retort to be opened to allow the contents ufacturingElectrolytically-Active Finely-Di thereof to be removed. The reduced iron in vided Iron, of which the following is a speciits wet or moist condition can now be mixed fication. with flake-graphite or other inert conducting to My invention relates to an improved procmaterial and molded into briquets for use in ess of manufacturing electrolytically-active the complete cell Without any serious oxidaflnely-divided iron for use in reversible .galtion taking place, even when exposed to the vanic batteries employing alkaline electroair. If desired, the iron so produced may 1 ytes, and particularly when opposed to a debe mixed with a smaller proportion of some [5 polarizer utilizing an electrolytically-active easily-reducible material, like copper oxid, compound of nickel, as I have described in as I describe in my application for patent patents already granted to me. filed October 3, 1902.

My object is to provide a process by which What I claim is finely-divided iron can be produced which 1. Aprocess for making electrolytically-ac- 20 shall be electrolytically active to a large extive finely-divided iron, which consists in retent and which process can be performed on ducing an iron compound by hydrogen in the an extensive scale for the production of the presence of heat, and in then flooding the retinely-divided iron at low cost. duced mass with water to prevent atmos- In carrying the invention into effect I propheric oxidation, substantially as set forth. 2 5 ceed substantially as follows: A suitable re- 2. Aprocess for making electrolytically-actort is charged with finely-divided oxid of tive finely-divided iron, which consists in reiron-for instance, ferric oxid, (Fe O )and ducing a compound of iron by hydrogen in is subjected to the reducing action of hydrothe presence of heat, then in cooling the regen gas at a temperature of about 900 Fahduced mass, and finally in flooding the re- 30 renheit. The heating of the material is perduced mass with water to prevent atmosformed by heating the retort and also by pheric oxidation, substantially as set forth. heating the hydrogen gas before its intro- 3. Aprocess for makingelectrolytically-acductioninto the retort. The reduction is contive finely-divided iron, which consists in tinned until the finely-divided iron is eleccharging a retort with a compound of iron,

35 trolytically active, the time required dependin reducing the iron compound by hydrogen ing upon the special conditions of the charge gas in the presence of heat, and in finally and of the apparatus. Ordinarily, however, flooding the retort with water to prevent atwith the ordinary ferric oxid of commerce a mospheric oxidation of the mass when rereduction with hydrogen gas at a temperamoved, substantially as set forth.

4o ture of 900 Fahrenheit will be sufficient for 4:. A process for making electrolytically-acthe purpose if maintained continuously for tive finely-divided iron, which consists in a period of twenty hours, more or less, accharging a retort with a compound of iron, cording to the quantity of hydrogen used. in reducing the iron compound by hydrogen After the reduction has continued to the dein the presence of heat, in allowing the re- 45 sired extent the mass is permitted to cool to duced mass to cool, and in finally flooding. 5 the normal temperature while still surroundthe retort with water to prevent atmospheric ed by the gas, thus excluding atmospheric oxidation of the mass when removed, subair and preventing spontaneous oxidation. stantially as set forth.

Water is now admitted into the retort, so as 5. The process of making electrolytically- 50 to at least coverthe mass and preferably, also, active finely-divided iron, which consists in T00 reducing an iron compound by hydrogen in the presence of heat until an electrolyticallyactive oxid is obtained, and in finally flooding the oxid so obtained with water, with the exclusion of oxidizing influences, substantially as set forth.

6. The process of making electrolyticallyactive finely-divided iron, which consists in reducing an iron compound by hydrogen in the presence of heat until an electrolyticallyactive oxid is obtained, in cooling the oxid while still subjected to hydrogen, with the exclusion of oxidizing influences, and in flooding the oxid with water, substantially as set forth.

7. The process of making electrolyticallyactive finely-divided iron, which consists in reducing ferric oxid by hydrogen in the presence of heat until an electrolytically-active oxid is obtained, and in finally flooding the oxid so obtained with water, with the exclusion of oxidizing influences, substantially a set forth.

8. The process of making'jelectrolytically- THOS. A. EDISON.

Witnesses:

J. F. RANDOLPH, J. A. BOEHME. 

